HALIFAX AND QUEBEC RAILWAY.

said, he begged to inquire of the right hon. Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the communications that have lately taken place between Her Majesty's Government and members of the Executive Councils of Canada and New Brunswick, who have come to this country, relative to the formation of a railway from Halifax to Quebec, have been brought to a satisfactory termination? Also, whether there was any objection to lay before the House the correspondence between those members of the Executive Councils of Canada and New Brunswick and Her Majesty's Government?

said, the negotiations to which the hon. Gentleman referred had now terminated; but whether the termination might or might not be satisfactory to the hon. Gentleman he was unable to say, considering that it was a question on which very great difference of opinion existed. But he had to state, that after much consideration on the subject, Her Majesty's Government had arrived at the decision—and they had done so with much regret—a decision which they had communicated to the Governors of the Colonies in question, and to the members of
1051
the deputation, namely, that they were unable to recommend to the Imperial Parliament to give the security of the public revenue for the construction of a railway from Halifax to Quebec, by the only line which the deputation were empowered to assent to. With regard to the latter question, he was not aware there was any objection to the production of the correspondence; but he would give a decided answer on that matter to-morrow.